The Age of Consent
R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-37-6 — sixteen, and up to five years for anyone over eighteen
The statute names the age of consent: sixteen years. A person over 18 who engages in sexual penetration with someone over 14 and under 16 commits third degree sexual assault, punishable by up to five years.
Who handles this in Rhode Island: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Rhode Island directory.
Someone in authority, up to 18. A person over 18 with supervisory or disciplinary power over someone over 14 and under 18, or otherwise in a position of authority, commits the same offense. That part does not apply between consenting people aged sixteen to twenty who are no more than 30 months apart.
Younger children, other degrees and registration are in other sections not covered here. A charge, or the worry of one, is a question for a licensed Rhode Island attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-37-6 — Third degree sexual assault
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-37-7 — Penalty for third degree sexual assault
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Rhode Island attorney.